


Building Sandcastles

by ashtraythief



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dragons, Bottom Jensen, First Time, M/M, Mating Rituals, Schmoop, Wooing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-02
Updated: 2014-01-02
Packaged: 2018-01-07 04:09:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1115332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashtraythief/pseuds/ashtraythief
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>To Jared, Jensen has always been the most beautiful dragon to fly over the earth. But Jared never thought he had a shot, he was way too uncoordinated and un-dragony. But when the call went out for Jensen's mating competition, Jared decided to compete anyway. After all, if there was just a theoretical chance, Jared had to try. Unbeknownst to him, Jensen had his own plans.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Building Sandcastles

**Author's Note:**

  * For [alycat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alycat/gifts), [keep_waking_up](https://archiveofourown.org/users/keep_waking_up/gifts), [kjanddean](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kjanddean/gifts).



> Merry Christmas everyone! Written for the kittehs, who prompted me with clumsy wooing dragon Jared.
> 
> Thanks to linvro21 for the beta and my lovely Tangy for helping with the sandcastle idea :)

 

 

The sun was shining down warmly on Jared’s belly. He was lying sprawled out on the big sunning rock in front of his cave, wings stretched out wide in opposite directions and his russet scales were almost glinting red in the bright light. Not a very dignified look, but then dignity had never been Jared’s strongest suit. He’d given up trying a long time ago.

He didn’t know how much time had passed when the flapping of wings interrupted his midday doze. He opened one eye to see Chad flop down in front of him. He folded in his big purple wings and poked Jared with the horny tip of his tail.

“Yo, lazybum, wake up. Interesting stuff happening mate, you’re gonna wanna pay attention to your good friend Chad.”

“Could you please stop talking about yourself in the third person?” Jared asked, closing his eyes again.

Chad poked him again. “Dude, it’s about Jensen.”

Jared forced himself to lie completely still. “So?”

Chad snorted. “You don’t fool me for one second. You’ve been pining for that green hottie since the first time you saw him.”

Jared tried to nonchalantly shrug his wings. “He’s pretty, he’s going to be a Guardian. I had a crush. It’s not like it was serious or anything.”

“Ogreshit. You still get all bumbly when you’re around him. And remember the last time at the lake when you wanted to impress him with a corkscrew dive and crashed straight into Nessie?”

Jared felt his scales heat up at the memory. That had definitely been one of his more embarrassing endeavors and poor Nessie had ended up with a nasty concussion when Jared had landed on her head when he’d plunged at full speed into the water.

“Jay c’mon. You don’t have to hide your crush on him, okay?” Chad said softly, entirely sincere for a moment. “And now that Jensen is eligible for a mate, you finally have a shot.”

A mate. They had put the call out for a mate. For a second Jared was elated. Then reality reared its ugly head and he slumped.

“No, I don’t. Let’s be honest here, I don’t excel at any of the things that will be part of the trials.”

“So what, you’re not even gonna try?” Chad asked disbelievingly “C’mon Jay, that’s not you. You always try. And you always succeed. On some level anyway.”

Jared laughed bitterly. “I don’t know if I’d call making the Old Stone Ruins collapse a _success_.”

“The bet was that you couldn’t land on the spiral standing stone and you did. Who could’ve known that thing was fragile as shit and would topple the whole stone circle over? Anyway, my point is: This is Jensen. If you don’t at least try, you’ll hate yourself forever.”

Jared gloomily looked over to the big cone shaped mountain, the center of the dragons’ lands, rising majestically up high into the sky. “It’ll never work, I won’t stand a chance.”

“Jensen will choose you. He likes you.”

“When we were hatchlings, he did. But back then, we only pushed rocks around and built mud fortresses and then burned them down with imaginary fire.”

Chad patted him on the shoulder with his tail. “Just try Jay. What’s the worst that can happen?”

He could horribly embarrass himself worse than ever, in front of the biggest possible audience, that was what could happen. He’d probably become the laughing stock of the whole dragon community.

But then he thought of Jensen, of dark green scales glinting in the sun like beautiful smaragds. The graceful curve of his wings when he weaved through the clouds. The way he daintily curled his tail around him whenever he sat down, the cute little spikes on its end always perfectly pointing upwards. His flawless ivory claws. And the adorable golden spots lining the edges of his wings, echoed by the lighter scales on his belly.

Jared sighed, a tiny flame escaping his snout. Jensen was perfect. Always had been. Jared had been in love forever, since back when he was fresh out of his egg and he’d crawled onto the rock ground to play for the first time when he was just a few weeks old. Of course, Jensen had been at the other end, watched over by an older guardian, but even from the distance, Jared had immediately been enamoured. He’d known then and there, only a few weeks old, that Jensen was his one and only. His better half, his happily-ever-after, his beautiful, perfect and completely and utterly unattainable dream. Because even before he’d hatched, Jensen’s egg had been chosen to join the Guardians.

His egg had been taken to the mountain where it had been kept warm by the holy fire that he’d later guard and keep alive. It was the most honorable duty a dragon could carry out and Guardians were the most important and revered members of their race. Their importance was the reason why it was also imperative that they’d have the most able mate. Jared would love to be that mate, but he knew the chances of him doing well at the big trials were almost non-existent.

Still. Chad was right, it was Jensen, he would have to try. And if he failed, well then he could still go into exile and become a crotchety hermit in a human land and scare peasants, day in and day out and at night wail his misery up to the stars.

 

 

Three days later, Jared and Chad flew to the mountain. The contest would be held in the new stone circle standing in the green valley at the foot at the mountain. After the mishap with the old ruins, Jared hadn’t been allowed to help out with the newest construction, so he saw them for the first time and it was grander than all the other ones in their realm. A lot of dragons had already gathered, covering the ground with colorful wings, tails with spikes of all sizes and forms, letting out puffs of smoke and occasional bouts of fire. It was a bit intimidating, to put it mildly, considering that it didn’t take long for them to raise their temper.

Jared flew a loop over the clearing, Chad following, before he decided to land at the eastern edge where the crowd thinned out a bit. He still bumped into a wing and stepped onto a tail, but all in all it went pretty well considering. He got a few mean glares and Chad chuckled under his breath, but Jared thought he’d landed with minimal damage. The dragons around him didn’t pay him any attention anyway, too busy gossipping with each other, discussing which challenges might be held - they varied a bit for each Guardian - and they discussed the huge turnout, bigger than anyone could ever remember before.

The loud, bustling mass only quieted down when Loretta, Dragon of Ceremony, landed on the big speakers-rock and snapped her wings out to demand silence. Immediately, the noise and movements ceased, all dragons staring spellbound at her.

“Welcome!” Loretta’s deep voice carried sharply over the gathering and even the last squabblers fell quiet now. “Welcome,” she continued on a softer voice. “We are gathered here today because one of our hatchlings has reached maturity and mastered all the final exams to become a full Guardian. As it will be his duty to guard our Eternal Fire, nourish it like it nourished his egg and each and every one of is, it will be one of your duties to watch over him and nourish him with your love.” Loretta paused dramatically. “I cannot emphasize enough what an important and honorable task this is and that while you do this for all of us, your main objective will always be Jensen. Jensen, come over here.”

Jared’s breath caught in his throat and a murmur went through the crowd when from behind the line of Guardians, Jensen spread his wings and gracefully flew over to Loretta. His big green-golden eyes scanned the crowd until he rested them upon Jared, not blinking once. Jared thought his heartbeat wouldn't stop accelerating and he’d explode from the pressure building inside of him. But then Jensen looked to Loretta and Jared realized he’d been holding his breath. He let the hot air out in a controlled rush, before he set something on fire with an exploding fireball. He was so caught up in trying not to hyperventilate that he almost missed when Jensen started talking.

“I am so honored to be standing here in front of all of you,” Jensen said in his honey-smooth voice. “Becoming a Guardian has been such an amazing experience. It is truly what I was born for and I’m grateful for all that the other Guardians taught me. The only thing missing for me to find true happiness is a mate. I am truly honored that you all came today and while this is no easy choice to make, the trials will help me decide whom to pick.”

Loretta nodded. “Samantha will oversee each of the challenges. But first, since so many have shown up and only fifty can compete, I task you to bring me a flower truly befitting Jensen's beauty and the first fifty to do so shall enter the competition. Fly now!”

For a moment, Jared’s mind was blank. He could not remember something like this ever happening before, but then he wasn’t sure if ever this many dragons had wanted to compete. All around him, dragons were taking off, so Jared hurriedly spread his wings. He bumped tails with a small blue dragon and almost flew into a large grey one until he was in the clear. A flower befitting Jensen’s beauty. There were many beautiful flowers, just like there were many beautiful dragons. But Jensen was exquisite, a sparkling sunkissed gemstone - that was it. With a triumphant shout Jared took off.

When he landed at the edge of the forest he was elated. He was the only one who had flown in this direction and the flower he was looking for only grew here. Jared would be the only one to bring back the perfect flower. When he looked around the mossy ground, he discovered the stems with the broad leaves he was looking for, but none of the plants had a single blossom left. He searched frantically, even ignoring a rare bush of red and white patterned roses, uprooted trees and trampled the underbrush. He needed that flower, it was the only one worthy of Jensen.

When he was already despairing, moments away of giving up and taking another flower, he finally spotted one lone blossom.

Carefully, he snapped the broad stem. In his big claws, he’d destroy the fragile thing so he ripped the bark off a tree, formed a ball with it and filled it with moss, embedding the petals carefully inside. Then he took off and flew back as fast as his wings carried him.

When he reached the clearing, his heart sank. It looked like most competitors had already returned. Well, it wasn’t surprising Jared couldn’t even pass the first test, but he’d been so hopeful when he’d heard the task. Dejectedly, he landed at the edge of the clearing next to Chad. He was talking to Sophia, a pretty smoke-grey dragon he’d been panting after for quite a while now, but Sophia seemed unimpressed by his nonchalant way so far.

“Jared!” she greeted him excitedly, “have you handed in your flower yet?”

Jared shook his head. “Why should I? I’m too late.”

“What? No!” Sophia exclaimed. “No verdict has been passed yet, they’re still waiting.”

Jared couldn’t help hoping, so he took off towards Samantha. He saw the flowers laid out in front of her and he wrinkled his nose. Some were squished or torn or drenched in spit, and while they were all beautiful, none was exquisite.

“And what have you brought, young Jared?” Samantha asked.

Jared carefully pulled the pieces of bark apart and let the flower slide to the floor. With a long metal pincher - one of the few tools in the dragons’ possession - she gingerly picked the flower up and held it up high.

“A sunkiss,” she said with a smile in her voice. “While you may be one of the last, you were the only one to truly grasp the task. You were the only one who really thought of Jensen. Jared, you are the winner of this challenge and the first one to move on to the main tasks.”

Jared didn’t care about the outraged murmurs or about the cries of disbelief behind him. He only cared about Jensen looking at him, smiling, no beaming at him and he’d never been so proud of himself before. And for the first time in his life, he thought that maybe, just maybe, he actually had a shot.

 

 

When the sun was just about to set, his euphoria was gone. The only thing he was aware of was the exhaustion settling deep into his bones, and the burning shame making hot steam rise from his cheeks. The only thing keeping him from giving up were Jensen’s eyes on him. There was just something about the way Jensen was looking at him that urged him on, every time he wanted to give up.

“Now, for the last challenge before the fire show,” Samantha announced and Jared groaned. After an afternoon of hurling rocks (far, but not in the direction they were supposed to go, Jared had never had proper control of his tail), felling trees (again with his tail and he’d barely managed to topple a little willow over while others had felled whole scores of oaks), swimming through the lake (somehow Jared had managed to drench all onlookers on the shore with his overly flapping tail) and roared his lungs out (Jared _was_ very loud - unfortunately he wasn’t very good with the melody), Jared was bone tired. The subsequent flight show had taken his last strength and Jared had neither been the fastest, nor flown the highest, dived the deepest or flown the tightest spirals.

He didn’t know what else he could possibly do, but he wasn’t looking forward to it. All throughout the trials, it had felt as if every dragon was doing better than he was. It certainly hadn’t helped that every step of the way, the other contestants and the audience let him know exactly how poor they thought his performance was. Chad flinching and Sophia looking at him with an expression of utter pity on her face hadn’t helped either. Jensen’s eyes on him had kept him going, but Jared was so drained he didn’t know how he could face another challenge.

"For the next challenge, you will each step up here and answer a question. You’ll answer spontaneously and after you’re done you will take your place for the fire breathing display and not reveal the question,” Samantha announced.

One after another the dragons stepped before Loretta. Some stayed only shortly, others longer. Jared had no idea what the question could be, but it made him very nervous. He wasn’t very eloquent under the best of circumstances, and when nervous, he tended to babble out a meaningless word vomit. When it was his turn finally, his legs were shaking so badly, his claws were clinking together.

“Jared,” Loretta greeted him, and the kindness in her eyes soothed Jared. Then he thought maybe she pitied him too and his nervousness came back.

“Tell me, why are you here?”

“What do you mean?” Jared asked, having no idea what she meant.

“I mean, why are you competing to be Jensen’s mate?”

Jared was still confused. “Is this a trick question?”

Now Loretta looked confused. “No, just tell me why you want to mate with Jensen.”

“Because I love him. I’ve always been in love with him. Why else?”

“Why else indeed?” Loretta asked pensively. “Tell me, what is it you love about him?”

Jared had to think about it for a moment, not because nothing came to mind, but because he needed to sort through all his thoughts.

“Well, he’s beautiful of course, the most beautiful dragon I’ve ever seen. But that’s just the outside, the superficial stuff. He’s nice and kind, never says a mean thing about anyone. And he’s fierce and courageous, protecting the weak,” he said, remembering how Jensen had defended him against a bunch of older hatchlings back when they were still too small to fly. “He’s graceful and considerate of others, thoughtful, you know?” he continued. “He always left Chad the cherry branches to chew on and he saved us all seats at the spring fire show. He’s just - he’s perfect,” Jared finished, blushing under Loretta’s scrutinizing gaze.

“Thank you, Jared. You can go back to your place now.”

He had no idea if he’d done well. He only remembered sitting between the others, comparing notes, that he hadn’t mentioned the honor in it or the desire to serve the Eternal Fire once. Shit.

When the sun set and darkness descended, the wooers had to present their firebreathing skills. Most of the other dragons showed off what big flames they could produce or how long their breath lasted. Others showed off the heat by singing stones and a few even shot fireballs. Jared had thought about what he should do, but in the end he decided on doing something that would maybe - hopefully - mean something to Jensen.

He didn’t really have a special trick anyway, so at the foot of the high rocks, Jared had chosen a rather sandy spot, had gathered water from a nearby stream and built a sandcastle. At some point, the other contestants were all done and all eyes were on him. Jared was so nervous, his claws started shaking, but he decided to concentrate on his memories of adorable, and slightly chubby Jensen running through the sand and laughing every time Jared whipped the sand with his tail, making a sand fountain shoot up. And he remembered how Jensen’s eyes had gleamed when they’d finished their crooked and misshapen castles.

They’d pretended to burn them down, back then, destroy the evil dragon hunters’ fortresses, but of course, they had been too young to breathe fire. Not anymore though.

Jared stepped back and eyed his construction. It looked better than what they had created as kids, but it was still a far cry from a beautiful creation. Well, it was the gesture that counted, he tried to tell himself.

He looked up to where Jensen was sitting next to Loretta and Samantha. The older dragons had matching expressions of puzzlement on their faces, but Jensen was positively beaming. So he remembered. It gave Jared hope and he took another step back and started to gurgle the fire in his throat. He would have to heat it up good for it work.

When he thought it couldn’t get any more torrid, he took another deep breath and then spewed the hottest flame he’d ever produced over the sandcastle.

He let the fire roar until he had no air left in his lungs, coughing a bit after the exertion. The clearing was strangely quiet and when he looked up at Jensen, he was staring down at him with wide eyes. Jared looked down at the castle, and it had worked.

The sand had crystallized to a white, gleaming material and the formerly misshapen sandcastle looked like something out of a fairy tale now, strange forms winding around each other in otherworldly beauty.

Jensen flew down to him and inspected the castle closely. Of course it hadn’t crystallized everywhere equally, the foundations were only darkly singed, but there was a pleased smile dancing over his snout anyway.

“I know it’s not perfect,” Jared blurted out. “But I remembered how much you liked sandcastles, so…”

He trailed off awkwardly, when Jensen looked at him. Up close, he could see all the golden specs dancing in his green irises and how prettily the spikes on the back of his head formed a graceful curve. He took Jared’s breath away.

“I was hoping you’d remember,” Jensen said softly.

Jared felt himself smiling, probably baring his teeth like an idiot, but Jensen was still looking at him, expression soft and eyes radiating warmth and approval.

He couldn’t look away, not when Loretta started talking, declaring Jensen had made his choice, and not when the dragons around them murmured and a lone roar of applause came from the back where Chad was sitting. Jared couldn’t look away when Jensen nodded and proclaimed he’d chosen Jared, couldn’t even blink when all around them the dragons started taking off, leaving Jensen and Jared alone in the clearing.

He was afraid if he’d blink, it all would be gone. He’d realize he’d just gotten lost in a fantasy, because this could not be real, Jensen could not really have picked him.

Jensen’s tongue suddenly darted out and he leaned forward, licking Jared’s snout quickly. Jared was frozen, blinking rapidly now because that was - that was just...

“Jared?” Jensen asked hesitantly. “Are you okay? I mean, you did want me to pick you, right?”

Jared shook his head, trying to come out of the shock. “Yes! Yes, of course, but you… I mean this, you can’t, you actually - you picked me!”

“I did,” Jensen said calmly, as if he hadn’t just made all of Jared’s dreams come true and changed the order of the universe in the process.

“But I failed,” Jared protested. “I’m not good at throwing stuff, and I can’t fly all that graceful, and-”

Jared was stopped by Jensen’s claw pressing against his snout. It was cool and smooth and Jared had the irrational - well maybe not so irrational, but certainly inappropriate - urge to lick it.

“You did not fail,” Jensen said with conviction. He took his paw away again and started pacing in front of Jared, his tail lashing agitatedly through the air.

“Do you think I care about that stupid stuff?” he asked, eyes flashing. “Throwing rocks and felling trees… They’re just stupid, archaic tests. I want someone who cares about _me_ , and not my position or what it means to mate me. Some of them just came to show off their skills! I mean, did you see Alaina fly all those loops, or how Sebastian got off on being the fastest to swim through the lake? None of them cared about me!”

Jensen slumped to the ground with a thud, wings hanging down dejectedly. “None of them cared. Do you know how many loveless matings have been made in the Guardians? I just wanted someone to be with, who would care about me and who I could have fun with, talk to, fly through the mountains with. Like I did with the cute little red dragon I played with all those years ago. Who was my friend and had my back through all our adventures when we fought imaginary evil dragon hunters.”

Jensen looked at Jared with a hopeful expression. “Cause that’s what you still are, right? You’re my friend and my companion and always have my back?”

Jared nodded dumbly. “Of course. I just never thought you’d pick me. You’re so perfect and pretty, and I’m just this bumbling idiot.”

“You are not an idiot!” Jensen said decisively. “You were the only one who got the task with the flower. You’re always nice to everyone, you’re not mean like some of the other dragons, or a show off. You came here for me, not for you. So you didn’t fail. They failed.” Jensen smiled smugly. “Loretta and Samantha agreed with me. They told me after the first task that I’d be stupid not to pick you.”

“But I can’t protect you,” Jared tried to point out, because while he wanted nothing more than to be Jensen's mate, he really didn’t want him to be disappointed in him somewhere down the road. Jensen needed to know what he was getting himself into.

Jensen shook his head disapprovingly. “First off, I can take care of myself. And it’s not like we’re really in danger, the last humans who came to try and kill dragons came here over a century ago. Besides, just because you didn’t spend your whole life honing your skills to make them competitive, doesn’t mean you can’t fight. So can you stop now? With the whole thinking you’re not worthy? I picked you, because I want you. Is that not enough?”

Jensen’s big green eyes were looking earnestly at him. Once again, Jared nodded. Really, he wasn’t quite sure what else to do.

“Good,” Jensen mumbled and then leaned forwards to rub his head against Jared’s. That felt nice. That was definitely something he wanted to do.

Jared leaned in, rubbing the scales of his cheek against Jensen’s. They felt soft and smooth, giving way and molding against Jared’s.

“How about I show you where we’ll live?” Jensen asked softly. “I have to live close to the mountain obviously, so they assigned me a cave. It’s really cozy with a nice view, but if you don’t like it, maybe we can find another one.”

There was a hint of insecurity in Jensen’s voice and that was not acceptable. “I wanna see it,” Jared said. “I’m sure it’ll be perfect.”

Jensen beamed at him and then spread his wings and took off. For a moment, Jared just stared in wonder, then he shook his head and followed his new mate up into the sky. Mate. Jensen was his mate.

It made him so giddy, he couldn’t contain himself and flew a few loops. Jensen smiled but didn’t comment.

It really wasn’t far to Jensen’s home. There was a small platform in front of the opening, and Jensen was right, it had a nice view. The cave was looking out towards the south, but it was situated on the longest outcrop of the mountain, meaning they’d actually be able to look to the east and the west from the platform, seeing the sun rise and set.

Jensen led him inside, smiling a bit bashfully, so Jared picked up his speed, not wanting to give Jensen the impression he didn’t like it. The first room of the cave was of average size, and reasonably lit, but when he followed Jensen through another corridor and into the main cave, Jared was surprised by the lighting in it. He looked up and saw several slits in the rocky walls and the light filtered diffusely down through them. They bathed the cave in a soft light and Jared immediately loved it. He saw the coalbed Jensen had made himself in a niche, and he was surprised to see the size of it.

Jensen picked up on it, because he scratched his claws awkwardly over the floor. “I knew this day would come, and I was kinda looking forward to it. I mean, I was hoping you’d participate, so I could pick you. And when Sophia promised she’d talk to Chad and make it happen, I thought, why not prepare?”

“Sophia?” Jared asked.

Steam rose from Jensen’s cheek and his claws clicked again. “Erm, well, we talked a bit, a while back, and I somehow mentioned you and she said she knew Chad and well, one thing lead to another and I just kind of told her?”

“Told her what?” Jared ask, still slightly dumbfounded.

“That I had an epic crush on you and I would die if you wouldn’t join the competition. So she promised she would make sure of it. And well, she did, and here we are I guess.”

Jared couldn’t believe it. The length Jensen had gone through to get him here and how nervous he was about it, just like Jared. It gave him the confidence to step forward and put his paw on Jensen’s in a soft touch of intertwining claws. There weren’t any words he could think of, but he didn’t need to. Jensen seemed to understand.

The moment went on forever, just the two of them standing in their new home, claws touching, staring deep into each others eyes, until Jensen's tongue darted out again, licking Jared’s cheek.

“So,” he said, grinning impishly, “should we maybe, you know?”

Jared wasn’t exactly sure what Jensen was getting at, until he licked his face again, slower this time, more teasingly, sensual and suddenly it clicked.

“Oh!” Jared exclaimed and the shock made him sit back on his haunches.

Of course, they would have to mate. Well, it wasn’t really a _have to_ , more of a _be able to_ , and something Jared definitely wanted to, it just had been so unattainable in the past, so out of his reach. He had thought of it, sometimes, when it was dark. Thinking of Jensen had made him hot under his scales and made his dick start to swell. Slightly ashamed that he was using images of Jensen in such a carnal way, he’d pressed himself into soft ground until he spilled his seed. Afterwards, he’d always felt bad, but it wasn’t something he could stop. And now, it was finally within reach.

“Yes,” Jensen repeated, but there was a smile in his voice. “I’ve been looking forward to this for quite a while.”

“Really?” Jared was so surprised, he kind of made a squeaking sound there.

Jensen’s smile deepened and he nodded. “Sure,” he said. “You were cute when you were a little dragonling, and you grew up nice.” Jensen's eyes trailed appreciatively over Jensen's body and Jared shifted self-consciously.

Jensen stepped in closer. “You have a really handsome face. It’s broad with a slim snout and your eyes are tilted all mysteriously. And those prettily arched ridges over your eyes with the tiny bumps on them… not to mention your horns.” Jensen’s tongue came out, but this time he licked over his own snout. “Your horns look particularly dashing.”

Jared felt steam rise from his cheek, he didn't know how to react to all those compliments. “You’re still more beautiful than everyone else,” was the only thing he could come up with.

“Says you,” Jensen said and smiled. “I say it’s you. And you’re so strong, and your scales are so pretty. When the sun shines down at them, you look like you have a fire burning inside of you. Your scales are darker in the middle, more copper brown than red and it looks like a fire is shining through the cracks, and, holy fire, listen to me.” Jensen broke off abruptly. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to ramble like that. It’s just, I think you’re really handsome.”

Jared swallowed several times. “So are you,” he finally managed to get out. He wanted to say more, tell Jensen about all the little details that made him the most exquisite creature on earth, but Jensen stepped in closer, and Jared forgot how to think.

“So, how do you want to do this?” Jensen asked.

“Do this?” Jared managed to croak out, suddenly no air left in his lungs. His mind was going a mile a minute with all the possibilities. There had been one recurring fantasy during the long nights he’d spent dreaming of Jensen, but he wasn’t sure how to ask for that.

Jensen’s eyes slid over his body, blinking slowly. “I really want…” he started, but instead of continuing, he pressed the side of his body against Jared’s.

The sudden full body contact made Jared flush. Jensen’s scales were hard, but sleek, gliding smoothly against his own. Jensen had lifted his left wing a bit so he could rub himself against Jared, and like this, the difference in their sizes became obvious. Jared wasn’t only longer, but also taller. When Jensen crouched down even lower, Jared felt the heat rush through him, because apparently they were really going to do this. He still had a hard time believing it.

“Yeah,” Jared said, only distantly aware of how rough his voice had become.

The rumble coming out of Jensen told him everything he needed to know. Jensen lay down on the ground, looked up at Jared with half-lidded eyes, smoke puffing from his cute little nostrils. His wing raised further, shiny green skin catching the light. His lighter belly scales were throwing a golden kaleidoscope of dancing lights against the walls, and he was moving sinuously, stretching out his body and putting it on display for Jared.

A smoldering fire was spreading through his lower body and Jared leaned down to blanket Jensen's body with his own. Their wings languidly rubbed against each other, while Jared snaked his tongue out, tasting Jensen for the first time. He licked across his snout and Jensen parted his lips to tangle his tongue with him in a kiss. It was a more intimate thing than Jared’d ever done with another dragon, and he couldn’t even begin to describe the way it made him feel.

The fire he usually spewed out was coursing through his veins, his scales felt too tight, constricting him and his tail twitched uncontrollably. There was a need building up deep inside of him, something that made it impossible to focus on anything but his mate.

Low grumbling sounds were coming from Jensen, and he was pushing up his rear. “Please, Jared,” he pleaded, his voice gravelly rough. “You have to get me ready.”

Again, Jared needed a second to catch on but then he scrambled around as fast as he could and Jensen had already raised his tail up, exposing his puckered opening surrounded by a ring of smaller, more flexible scales. This was the place that would connect them and Jared reverently flicked his tongue out to taste.

It was a deep earthy taste, musky like the caves they hid away in, home and safe and mate. Jensen groaned, a full sound reverberating off the walls. It encouraged him and he shoved his tongue in deeper, sliding it as far into Jensen’s body as it would go and twisting it, trying to widen Jensen's opening. Jensen started pushing back against his snout, clearly enjoying what Jared was doing and it filled him with pride. It was also the hottest thing that had ever happened to him and he could feel his dick harden further and slide out of its sheath. It pulsed with every little twitch of Jensen's hips, so hard it was almost painful.

But his tongue wasn’t enough to open Jensen up and he didn’t want to hurt him. He brought his tail around. It wasn’t cornificated like Chad’s, and the double row of short spikes stopped several inches before the end, so he could push it into Jensen without the danger of hurting him.

A low keening sound left Jensen and Jared realized he was panting pretty harshly himself, choppy breaths loud in the otherwise silent cave. There was no way he could hold back though. Jensen was falling apart beneath him, Jared was making him fall apart, and it was a high unlike anything he’d ever experienced. Not like the first time he’d spread his wings and dived off a cliff, not like when Chad had led him to the forest where the fermenting fruits gave them a light head and made them dizzy.

Jensen had gotten quiet for a moment when Jared had pushed his tail inside, and Jared stopped, worried that he’d done something wrong, but then Jensen exhaled heavily, flames shooting out past his teeth.

“Yes, please, holy fire, more, please Jared, more!”

There was no way Jared could deny Jensen this, how he could deny him anything, so he pushed his tail in deeper and faster, feeling how hot and tight Jensen was around him. It made him desperate to push something else in there, because his dick was fit to burst, screaming for friction.

“Jen,” Jared groaned out, “I have to - I can’t wait, please, I just wanna be inside you, wanna mate you.”

“Yeah, c’mon, I’m ready.”

“Don’t wanna hurt you.”

In spite of the moaning and the panting, Jensen managed to snort derisively. “Not gonna break, m’ready. C’mon, Jay, fuck me.”

Jared pulled his tail out so fast, he almost lost his balance. He caught himself and then climbed up Jensen’s back using his wings to steady himself. Jensen took his weight easily, not swaying a bit, just pushing his rump back higher.

The nervousness suddenly came back when Jared tried to position himself right, but his inexperience made it difficult and he needed a few tries to line his aching dick up with Jensen’s opening. Finally, his dick caught on Jensen’s rim and Jared stilled in terrified breathless anticipation.

“Jared, can you please move?” Jensen ground out, more than a bit of impatience in his voice.

Jared gulped down a big breath and carefully pushed inside. Slowly, around him Jensen gave way, just as hot and tight as he’d been around his tail, but on his cock it felt a thousand times better. Jensen’s channel rubbed against every ridge, pressed into every crease on Jared’s dick, molten fire running up and down its length. When he bottomed out, Jared had to stop again. The feelings were overwhelming, he couldn’t focus anymore, couldn’t think, his world had narrowed down to his mate so perfect around him.

“Fuck, you feel good,” Jensen said breathlessly. “I can feel all of you, feel every ridge. Holy fire, you’re so big, fuck. Please, just move.”

“Yeah.”

Jared pulled back, relishing Jensen rippling around him, sending shivers down the entire length of his spine. He had to push back in immediately, Jensen’s heat drawing him in again. Jared had no idea what he was doing, running purely on instinct and on want and now and need. Beneath him, Jensen kept on moaning and writhing, pushing back to meet his thrusts, so Jared figured he was doing something right and just went for it.

He tried to set up some kind of rhythm, tried to be smooth, but Jensen was making him crazy. He was so hot, so tight, and the sounds he was making were straight shots to Jared’s dick. If he ever managed to get a rhythm going, it was shot to hell now anyway. He was just scrambling to get as deep into Jensen as he could, bask in the glory that was their newfound connection. He gripped Jensen’s body with his front legs, claws gliding over his scales too harshly, but he couldn't stop himself, he needed to hold onto his mate, needed to hold him tight and close.

Jensen was moving more and more, writhing, and his tail was flicking all over the place, occasionally hitting Jared against the head and the neck, even catching his wings. It spurred Jared on even more, and the pressure started to build, the need for more becoming almost unbearable.

He pushed up with his hindlegs and the new angle made Jensen roar below him, shaking the walls of the cave. Jared chased that spot, wanting to make Jensen shout out again and again.

“C’mon, come on!” Jared was getting frantic, but then Jensen roared again, throwing his head back, a long flame shooting up to the ceiling of the cave.

Jensen clenched violently around him, his whole body shaking and the sight and the pressure sent Jared over the edge. He felt like his body was awash in the mythical fiendfyre, every last inch of him burning with pleasure as he came deep inside of his mate. He wasn’t even aware of letting out a jet of flame, until his jaws snapped shut with that telltale residual tingle the fire always left in his mouth.

Jared’s legs gave out beneath him and he collapsed heavily on Jensen’s body, the spikes on his back poking him uncomfortably in his ribs, but it wasn’t enough to make him move. Jensen huffed out a laugh, his body vibrating below Jared’s.

“You’re not gonna fall asleep on me, are you?” he asked, voice coming out in a lazy drawl and curling pleasantly around Jared in smokey whispers. “Because you’re a bit too heavy for that.”

“Of course not,” Jared said trying to sound indignant instead if sleepy. And if he was being honest with himself, if Jensen hadn’t protested, he would already be far away in the land of dreams.

As it was, Jared reluctantly pushed himself up, slowly pulling out of Jensen.

“Wait,” Jensen said sharply and Jared froze immediately. “Wait,” he repeated, softer this time. “You don’t have to - I mean, it feels nice?” His voice raised up to phrase it like a question. Jared was confused for a moment before he caught on to it, because yes, it did feel nice, being connected so intimately without the frenzied rush of mating.

“How do we do this?” he asked.

Jensen slowly started shifting his body, pulling his wings in tight. “Lie beside me?” he asked, and Jared did his best to comply without slipping out. Somehow they managed with only minimal awkwardness and Jared settled in on the warm stone floor, Jensen pressed against his belly, still hot and tight around his dick, and humming appreciatively when Jared draped one wing over him like a giant blanket.

For a while, they lay in silence. It was quiet, except from the regular breathing and the occasional sound of scales sliding when one of them moved minutely. It was driving Jared crazy. There were still so many thing he wanted to ask, needed to know, but Jensen was infuriatingly quiet.

“So,” he finally asked when he couldn’t take it anymore. “What do we do now?”

Jensen made a pensive sound, then he wiggled his hips, the friction making Jared’s dick jump in anticipation. “This sounds like a good idea.”

And while Jared’s body was definitely on board with Jensen's plan, his mind couldn’t shut up.

“Yes, but that’s not what I meant. I mean, what do we do now, _generally_?”

Jensen tensed and hesitated and it made Jared’s stomach drop at the same time as it made his dick harden.

“Well, I’m still a Guardian, so I’ll follow my duties. You’ll go on with your life as before, hunting, hanging out with Chad, building sandcastles…” Jared smiled. “...and when we don’t have anything to do, we’ll be together. In here, or out there, we’ll just be together.”

“Good,” Jared said basking in the implicitness in Jensen’s voice. “That sounds good.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
